Clock repeating mechanism.



PATEN'IED MAY 26, 1908.

C. MULLER & G. KRAMER.

CLOCK REPEATING MECHANISM APPLICATION rum: $3128, 1905.

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THE NORRIS PETERS cm, wnsnmnr'lm, n. c.

No. 888.836. PATENTED MAY '26, 1908;

' o. MULLER & 0. KRAMER.

CLOCK REPEATING MECHANISM.

urmonmn FILED I'EB.28, 1905.

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Wilmeooeo I v V 61am UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CARL MULLER AND CARL KRAMER, OF STUTTGART, GERMANY.

CLOCK REPEATING MECHANISM.

Application filed February 28, 1905.

Mechanism; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Our invention relates to improvements in clock repeating mechanisms, and the object of our improvements is to provide a clock in which a special motor for the repeating mechanism and the gearings connected there with are dispensed with. And for this purpose we provide a novel arrangement of parts to make an operative connection between the repeating mechanism and the clock move ment proper, whereby the former is actuated by the latter, when it is desired to have the repeating mechanism announce the time.

A further object of our improvement is to provide novel means, whereby the clock may be set and the snails cooperating with the repeating mechanism to control the operation of the latter may rotate, while said repeating mechanism is being operated.

A further improvement consists in con necting the striking hour snail and the hour star wheel and mounting them on the arbor supporting the motor of the alarm mechanism.

For the purpose of illustration we have shown, as an example, a clock embodying our invention, in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure I is an elevation of the clock seen from the rear and showing the repeating mechanism in its released or inoperative position. Fig. 2 is a side view of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is'a view similar to that shown in Fig. 1, the repeating mechanism being in its operative osition. Figs. 4 to 6 illustrate details of igs. 1 to 3, and Fig. 7 is a front and side view of a modification of a detail. Fig. 8 is a view in side elevation of the upper portion of the clock movement, showing certain parts omitted in the other figures. Fig. 9 is an Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 26, 1908.

Serial No. 247,822.

edge view of the shown in Fig. 8.

Similar letters of reference refer to similar parts throughout the views.

In the example illustrated in the accompanying drawing, the front and rear plates 1 and 2 of the clock are connected by suitable cross bars, as is usual in the art. The repeating mechanism is arranged to be operated by the clock movement, and for this purpose we provide, in the present example, an auxiliary gear wheel 3, that'is' mounted on the seconds arbor 4, but normally does not engage the repeating mechanism, as will be explained hereafter. The repeating mechanism consists in part of two rocking members 5 and 6, mounted on arbors 7 and 8, respectively, extending from the rear plate 2. The member 5 is designed to operate the hour hammer 9 and for this purpose it is formed with a rack having twelve teeth. The rocking member 6 that is designed, in the present example, to announce the quarter hours, is formed with a rack having three teeth. Arranged to cooperate with two bells of different pitch, which bells are not shown in the drawings, are the hour hammer 9 and a quarter hour hammer 10 that are carried by arbors 11 and 12, respectively, that have a rocking support on the plates 1 and 2, and extend through the rear plate 2. On the projecting ends of said arbors trip pawls 13 and 14, ar ranged to engage the-racks of the rocking members 5 and 6 respectively, are pivotally mounted, so as to ermit said racks during their forward trave freely to pass over them without engaging the hammers 9 and 10. The shanks of the latter are formed with extensions 15 engaging the trip pawls at their rear, whereby said pawls will actuate the hammers, whenever a tooth of the racks 5 and 6, in their backward travel, engages the same. Counterweights 16 and 17 hold the pawls in their proper position and in engagement with the extensions 15.

The racks of the members 5 and 6 are operated, in the present example, in the following manner: An actuating member formed as a sector 18 and provided about a part of its periphery with teeth adapted to cooperate with the gear wheel 3, is pivotally connected part of the clock movement with the rocking member 5 by a pin 19, screwed or otherwise attached to the rocking member. The actuating member is provided with an elongated orifice or slot 20 that is adapted to be engaged by the arbor 7, the contour of the orifice being such as to permit the member, when moved in one direction, to have a slight retrograde and at the same time rocking movement upon the arbor 7, whereby to clear it from engagement with the teeth of the gear wheel 3, and on movement in the opposite direction to permit it to mesh therewith. A push rod 21 is pivotally connected to the member 18 at 22, and is guided for vertical reciprocatory movements, near its upper end, by a bracket 23 projecting from the rear plate 2. In orderto cause the push rod to resume its normal position after being depressed for the purpose of throwing the actuating member into mesh with the gear 3, there is a coiled spring 24 provided, one end of which is connected in any suitable manner to the bracket, and the other end to the rod, preferably by providing the latter with an orifice 25 through which the said end projects. In addition to performing the function of a rod retracting member, the spring also operates to impart additional motive force to the train during the striking period, whereby any loss of time that would otherwise result, due tov the slight retardation of the train by the power utilized in driving the striking mechanism, is obviated, so that the timing qualities of the clock will not in any manner be interfered with.

As will appear from Fig. 1, the sector 18 will normally not be engaged by the gear wheel 3, because its teeth are held, by the spring 24, in a position beyond the teeth of said gear wheel; and if the push rod 21 is pushed down, for the purpose and in the manner set forth hereinafter, the sector 18 will be rocked about the pin 19 to suchan angle, as is permitted by the slot 20, whereby its teeth will be sufficiently retract-ed from the gear wheel 3, to pass along the same without engaging its teeth. The upper part ,of the push rod 21 is engaged by a rocking lever 26 having a pivotal support on the cross bar 27. A spring supported on the latter tends to throw said lever upwards. A pusher 28 having a push button 29 and extending through the casing 30 of the clock is arranged to operate the lever 26 and the push rod 21.

The rocking member 6 is operated by the rocking member 5. For this purpose it is provided, in the present example, with a lever 31 forming a bell crank lever therewith. At its extremity, said lever 31 is formed with an abutment 32 extending into the path of the rocking member 5, which is provided with a shoulder 33 operatively engaging said abutment An hour star 34 is loosely mounted on an arbor 35 which, in the present example, serves as a winding arbor for the striking mechanism. Said star is formed with twelve teeth that are engaged by a spring latch. 36 to lock the same in position until the expiration of each hour, when it is moved one tooth forward by a cam or linger 37 mounted on the minute arbor 38. This arrangement is best shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and also in Figs. 5 and 6, where the parts are shown in detail. A striking hour snail 39 is rigidly connected to the hour star 34 with which it can freely rotate on the arbor It follows, that said snail will be moved step by step at the end of each hour. It is provided, with twelve step surfaces disposed. at increasing distances from its center, and cooperates with the rocking member 5 to limit the downward movement of the latter according to the time to be announced. The member 5 is, for this purpose, provided with an abutment 40 extending therefrom into the path of the snail 39 and arranged to abut against one of its step surfaces, when it is moved downwards.

The striking quarter snail 41 shown in detail in Fig. 5, is provided, in the present example, with four steps according to the number of quarters to be announced, and is mounted on the minute arbor 38 and connected with the cam or finger 37, referred to above. It cooperates with an arm 42 of the rocking member 6 to limit the movement of the latter according to the quarter to be announced. For this purpose, an abutment 43 is provided on said arm 42 extending into the path of said snail and arranged to abut against one of its step surfaces. It will be observed from this description, that the quarter snail differs from the hour snail in this respect, that it is not moved step by step, but continuously. The minute arbor is, therefore, likely to be locked by the abutment 43 that is engaged by the snail41, when the latter moves from. its position corresponding to the three quarter stroke to its position corresponding to the full hour or no quarter stroke, as shown in Fig. 3. Such locking will occur either during the regular progress of the minute hand, or when the clock is being set, while the repeating mechanism is in its operative position, and it is apparent that it is most likely to happen at twelve oclock, when the abutment 43 engages the snail 41 for a considerable time. To remedy this disadvantage and to render the clock movement entirely independent of the repeating mechanism, we have designed the following means. The abutment 43 is formed of a separate element yieldingly mounted on the arm 42, in such a manner, that the snail 41 can readily push it aside. drawings, we have illustrated two examples,

In the 1 how said yieldin support may be effected. In the example i ustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 said abutment 43 is formed as an angular piece pivotally supported on the arm 16 at 44, the upper shank 45 of which piece is arranged to extend into the path of the snail 41, while the lower shank serves as a counterweight, by means of which the shank 45 is held in its operative position. As will appear from an inspection of Fig. 3, the shan 45 will abut against one of the step surfaces of the snail, but it will be readily swung out of the way about the pivot 44, when the snail is moved -from its three quarter striking position to its full hour striking position. The second example of this feature is illustrated in Fig. 7. A spring 46 is mounted on the front side of the rocking member 6 and has a support on the same at 47. At its upper extremity said spring is formed with an inclined nose 48 ex tending through a slot 49 of the arm 42.

Said nose 48 engages the snail 41, and it is apparent, that any pressure exerted by said snail on the nose 48 will readily push the latter backwards through the slot 49.

In considering the operation of our repeating mechanism, it will be borne in mind that Fig. 1 shows the same in its inoperative or released position, while Fig. 3 shows it in its operative position. It will becseen from Fig. 1, that, normally, the auxiliary gear wheel 3 is not engaged by the connecting member or sector 18, so that it rotates freely with the second arbor. If now the pusher 28 and the push rod 21 are pressed down, the sector 18 will be rocked about its pivot 19, until the arbor 7 abuts against the up er part of the slot 20. Thereby its teeth wi 1 be sufiiciently retracted, as not to engage the teeth of the gear wheel 3 during the downward rocking movement of the members 18 and 5. Said movement will proceed until the abutment 40 abuts against one of the step surfaces of the hour snail 39, while the teeth of the mem ber 5 will pass over the trip pawl 13 without operating the hammer 9. Simultaneously 1) released by the shoulder 33, will rock downwards by its own weight, until its abutment 43 abuts against the snail 41. Its teeth will pass, over the trip pawl 14, according to the number of quarters to be announced, without operating the hammer 10. If now the pusher 28 is released, the sector 18 will be moved, by the spring 24, into its non-retracted position, whereby its teeth engage the teeth of the wheel 3, as shown in Fig. 3, The wheel 3 will now rock the members 5 and 18 upwards, so that the teeth of the member 5 engage the trip pawl 16, and operate, on account of the extension 15, the hammer 9. Shortly after the last one of the teeth of the member 5 has passed the pawl 16, the shoule rocking member 6, its abutment 32 being der 33 rengages the. abutment 32, and thereby operates the hammer 10. At the end of the upward movement of the member 18, the

.s rin 24 will ull the latter entirel out of P 8 P y engagement with the spur gear 3.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent of the United States, is

. 1., In a repeating clock, the combination with the movement, and a gear wheel rotated thereby, of a combined rocking and reciprocatory member arranged to operate the repeating mechanism and having teeth adapted to engage with the gear wheel, means to retract the rocking member from the gear wheel and to move it into operative position to actuate the repeating mechanism, means to limit the movement of the rocking member according to the time to be announced, and means to bring said rocking member into engagement with the gear wheel and to disengage it therefrom at the end of its travel into position to rest.

2. In the clock, the combination with a movement embodying a continuously driven gear and a repeating mechanism, of a snail, a combined rocking and reciprocatory member embodying a toothed sector, a yielding member mounted upon the rocking member and cooperating with the same and the snail to control the movement of the repeating mechanism, the yielding member being adapted to be moved from the snail to permit rotation of the latter when the repeating mechanism is in operative position, and the rocking member being provided with teeth to mesh with the driven gear on one movement.

3. In a clock repeating mechanism, the combination with an auxiliary continuously driven gear, of a combined rocking and reciprocatory toothed segment, a spring actuated rod connected with the segment to bring the same in position to engage the gear, an hour strike rack pivotally connected with the segment, a quarter hour rack arranged to be actuated by the hour rack, and a pair of trip pawls arranged in the path of movement of the two racks and adapted to actuate the bell hammers. v

4. In a clock repeating mechanism, the combination with an auxiliary continuously driven gear, of a combined rocking and reciprocatory toothed segment, a spring actuated rod connected with the segment to bring the same in position to engage the gear, an hour strike rack pivotally connected with the segment, a quarter hour rack arranged to be actuated by the hour rack, a pair of trip pawls arranged in the path of movement of the two racks and adapted to actuate the bell hammers, and an abutment pivotally connected with a member of the quarter hour rack to permit setting of the hands While the to engage to control the movement of the reclock is repeating. peating mechanism according to the time to 5. In a clock repeatlng mechanism, the be announced. combination withacontinuously driven gear, In testimony whereof We hereunto a'l'lix J5 5 of an axle, a toothed segment provided With our signatures in the presence of two Witan elongated orifice to be engaged by the axle nesses. to permit the segment to be moved into and l CARL MULLER. out of engagement With the gear, an hour rack 'l CARL KRAMER.

Witnesses ADOLF LEBIIERT,

ERNsT ENTERMILLER.

pivotally connected With the segment and 10 provided with an abutment, and an hour snail with Which the abutment is arranged 

